Why I Shave My Face – Dermaplaning 101

By Kaleigh Samala, Aesthetician – Gulf Breeze, Florida

Have you ever looked in the mirror and thought that your face just looked dull or caught that rearview mirror glance just to see hair on your face? Or, maybe you’ve gotten to that point where it feels like the products and makeup you use are just sitting on top of your skin. Well, that’s because, the odds are that you have a barrier of dead skin on your face that is keeping those products from penetrating your skin and preventing your makeup from gliding on like it once did. Scientifically, our cell renewal factor (CRF) or cell turnover rate, slows down as we age, which leads to this unnecessary buildup of our dead skin. The result – that dull look none of us want. Well, here’s a solution to help us all get rid of the dead skin cells through exfoliation, and it’s called dermaplaning.

And while this revolutionary service has quickly become one of the hottest new skin care services being offered here in America, it’s really not new. In fact, Japanese women have been utilizing facial “shaving” as an anti-aging treatment for decades.

Now I would like to take you on an exfoliation endeavor, teaching you all about dermaplaning, from what it is to why you’ll want to keep it up in the future.

What Is Dermaplaning?
Dermaplaning is a physical skin rejuvenation treatment that removes dead skin and vellus facial hair (a.k.a. peach fuzz), producing more radiant, smooth skin. During this treatment your aesthetician uses a small, sterile blade while holding the skin taut, swiping the blade in gentle upward motions to “shave” off your skins’ dead cells and that unwanted peach fuzz.

The Benefits Of Dermaplaning
Ask any skin care professional what the secret to flawless, youthful skin is, and they’ll tell you it’s exfoliation. Dermaplaning is one of the best methods of exfoliation that has zero downtime. Simply put, dermaplaning leaves your skin brighter, smoother, glowing, and more youthful.

What About That Shaving Myth?
The most common question I receive about hair removal treatments is, “will it make my hair grow back thicker or darker?”

In regards to dermaplaning, the answer is no, it will do neither. That’s because, dermaplaning targets vellus facial hair, which is fine and lighter in color than terminal hair. Also, dermaplaning does not interact with the hair follicle itself and therefore cannot and does not physically alter the growth pattern. Your leg hair, which is all terminal, may appear thicker or darker, but your facial hair will not.

Here at Aqua Medical Spa, dermaplaning is not only a great exfoliation treatment, but is also a great complimenting treatment we can perform in addition to any of our other skin care services you may be coming into the spa for.